Much has been written and debated on lone mothers. However little has been discussed about non-resident fathers. Absent Fathers is part of a growing literature on men and masculinities and takes this debate further. Drawn from one of the best social policy units in the UK and results from the current ESRC Programme on Population and Household Change,... more...

This compilation of the best thinking about adoption by both historical and current authorities reveals a vital, ever-changing practice affecting the lives of millions of people around the globe. more...

The first book-length study of adoption in Japan, this impressive work tackles the innovative and sometimes controversial subject of the policies of adoption agencies in Japan. The book places special adoption in the context of a liberal reformist agenda that has challenged traditional concepts of the family through the efforts to place children with... more...

"As far as I am aware, there is no other scholarly book on adult mother/daughter relationships, particularly one that incorporates data from pairs of mothers and daughters...I believe that the contents provide useful material for instructors, researchers, and therapists alike.". - Rosemary Blieszner, PhD. Professor of Gerontology and Family... more...

"I'm not telling you where I am. Don't try to find me." Remember Go Ask Alice? Augusta, Gone is the memoir Alice's mother never wrote. A single parent, Martha Tod Dudman is sure she is giving her two children the perfect life, sheltering them from the wild tumult of her own youth. But when Augusta turns fifteen, things start to happen: first... more...

Weaving together theories of space, sexuality and political identity with the stories of fathers from a range of sources, including popular culture, this book seeks to explore the spaces and movements of men-as-fathers more...

Written in an accessible style with insights into adoption and social work practice past and present, Birth Fathers and their Adoption Experiences offers a vital new perspective on understanding the causes and consequences of adoption, and makes positive suggestions for working with those whom it affects. more...

Adoptive, foster and stepmothers, like biological mothers, find their lives completely changed by motherhood although they are not always granted the rights and privileges accorded to those who give birth. Barbara Waterman explores the common experiences that are shared by all those who enter the motherhood portal. more...

At turns humorous, irreverent, poignant and tender, The Book of Dads brings together twenty well-known and beloved writers on the subject of fatherhood, offering fathers?or anyone who has been or loved a parent?unrivaled insights into the complexity of fatherhood as it's experienced now. It is a literary reader for the contemporary dad, hip and... more...

This book considers the challenges of caring for children with physical, developmental and mental health disorders and proposes methods such as learning to see events through your child's own eyes, celebrating their strengths and achievements and recognising how others can help your child. more...